Connor Coyne

Sometimes, if I get onto the CTA platform and an outbound train is waiting with no inbound train in sight, I’ll hop on the outbound train and ride north, and catch my train to work further up the line. It’s fun. It adds a little variety to my morning. It means I’m more likely to get a good seat, and if someone looks like they need a seat, I can always offer it to them (something many passengers are not always inclined to do). In the past I’ve ridden as far north as Thorndale, which is three stops out and about two miles away.

This morning I added a bit of a gamble to this game. An inbound train had just left, an outbound train was waiting for me, and the next inbound was just setting out from Bryn Mawr, less than a mile away. I hopped on the northbound train, got off one stop up at Berwyn, and caught the southbound train just as it pulled into the station.

It didn’t save me any time.

But it was fun, and that’s what Fridays are for.